Stabilizer for hand cameras



STABILIZER FOR HAND CAMERAS Filed Oct. l0. 195B Patented Apr. 22, 1941 s'rABnJzEa 2.239.201 v FOR HAND CAMERAS Raben F. rtm1, chicago, n1.- l Application october 1o, 193s, s'eria1No.234,1ss

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a stabilizing device and refers specifically to an inertia stabilizer for hand cameras.

It is a well known precept in photographic work that a good picture can seldom be taken at a shutter speed slower than one-twenty-fifth of a second unless the camera is supported by a tripod or its equivalent. For the hand camera operator or amateur movie photographer 'the subject of the picture and the environment of the subject is frequently such that the use of a tripod or its equivalent is impractical or at least very inconvenient. Lighting conditions or the necessity for focal depth frequently require slow shutter speeds with the accompanying danger of ation, i. e., operating the shutter. In movie work the shutter movement sets up periodic motions which cannot be manually successfully resisted.

The geometrical relationship between the camera plate or focal plane, the lens and the subject is such that motion of the camera parallel :to the focal plane, e. g., sidewise or up and down movement, plays little part in blurring the image on the plate. However, movement of the camera about a line which lies in or is parallel to the focal plane thereof, e. g., a turning motion, produces excessive blurring and distortion.

It is an object of my invention, therefore, to stabilize a hand camera against movement about a line in or parallel to the focal plane, that is, against horizontal and vertical canting movements about such a. line. To accomplish this object, I provide two rods, each of which is secured to the camera; one to the bottom thereof which projects vertically downwardly and the other to one side of the camera which projects at right angles to the rst mentioned rod. Preferably each ofsaid rods carries a weight at its projecting end whereby the angular inertia of the camera as a whole is increased particularly with respect to movement about a line contained in or parallel to its focal plane. I may, however, also use a modication which still employs the same principle, by attaching onerod .to the camera, and attaching the second rod to the first at approximately a right angle, in order to simplify the connection to the camera.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from .the accompanying ing and followingfdetailed description. In the drawing, A Fig. 1 is a face viewof a stabilizing members comprising my invention attached thereto. Y

Fig. 2 is a detailed rods. I

Fig. 3 is a showing a slight modification` ofmy invention;`

drawcamera havingthe' View of one ofthe stabilizing,"

side elevational View of a camera Referring in detail Vto the drawingg -l"indicates a body of aconventionalfolding camerahaving camera, such as, a box camera, portable niov`ie.:,.` camera, or any ofthe usualtypes.ofxniniatureI cameras. 5

A telescopic rod 4 is secured'- atoneend tothe lower portion of the body ivand'another similar rod 5 is secured4 toI one side of the body. 'The l, rod 5 may be secured to eitheride of the-camera body or such rods may be.V secured toboth sides. f.

In most instances, however, one v'roddifissuiiicient and it ispreferably secured to theright f side of the camera, asv shown, sothattheoperators ri'ght'hand may lating the shutter.

The rods 4 and 5 are of the telescopic type, each being made up of sections 6, '1, 8 and 9 of progressively decreasing diameter whereby the entire rod may be telescoped within the compass of the sect-ion 6. Each section E may be provided with a screw l0 which is adapted to threadedly engage a bushing usually provided in the `camera body for a tripod.

If desired, the rods 4 and 5 may collapse within the camera body itself whereby the same may be conveniently projected outwardly when occasion demands.

A weight Il is carried at the end of each section 9 which may "be either' permanently or removably secured to said section. Preferably the weight of the rod is relatively small with respect to the weight of the weight Il per se so that the center of gravity of the weight and rod, considered as a unit, is as far from the camera body as reasonably possible. The desirability of this relationship can be appreciated from the fact that the moment of vinertia of they assemblage about an axis through the center of the camera, at right angles to a given rod, varies with the weight of the rod and weight il and with the square of the distance between the axis and the center of gravity of the rod and weight Il. Consequently 4 to the camera body when occasion demands, or

may be hinged to the camera, folding not in use.

Although the form of my invention herelnbe-v lore described appears to present the most convenient practical aspect thereof, inv its broadest form the relationshipof a distantly, rigidly carried weight to inertia about a predetermined axis or axes in conjunction with a hand camera or the like constitutes the invention.

Since the angular motion to be restrained is particularly motion in a plane containing the line (object to image), a Weight carried on this line rigidly secured to and at a distance from the ra would produce the desired stabilization. lver, if secured in front ci the camera., it nd appear in the picture; if in the rear, it tvcuid interfere with the operator. One weighted arm, however, could be conveniently used by at.. taching the same to the front ofthe camera and projecting the same forwardly at such -an ltingle o be just outside the ileld of view of the lens. fans arrangement isnot illustrated in the drawing but could be readily constructed by anyone away when skilled in the art. Obviously, the angie of projection of the arm would vary *with the angle of viewlof the lens.

Referring in detail to Fig. 3, a slight modincation o! my invention is shown as attached to a conventional hand camera having a body I2, bellows I3, lens-board Il and lens I5. In this form of my invention a rod I6 is suitably secured to the bottom of the camera body I, preferably by screwing the rod into the usual tripod bushing. If .iesired. the rod `II may be ot teleseopic'construction similar to rods 4 and i or same may be non-collapsible. A weight I 'I is carried at the end of the rod I6. A second rod I8 is secured to weight an intermediate portion of rod I8 and projects substantially at right angles to rod ii. A weight I9 is carried at the end of rod I8. The arrangement is such as to increase the inertia of movement of thel camera. about a line lying in or parallel to the focal plane of the camera. In use the rod I 8 may project forwardly, as shown, or if desired said rod may project outwardly from either side of theca'mera, merely by turning rod I6 in the camera bushing.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination. a hand camera comprisingv a body having a top, bottom and sides, and adapted to contain a nlm at the focal plane of the camera, arms rigidlyl connected to the bottom and side of the camera body, said arms lying substantially in the focal plane oi the camera and having their respective centers of gravity remote from the camera body to increase the angular inertia of the body about a line contained in or parallel to its focal plane.

2. In combination, a hand camera comprising a body having a top, bottom and sides, and adapted to contain a 'nlm at the focal plane of the camera, extensible arms rigidly connected to the bottom and side of the camera body, said arms when extended having their respective centers of gravity remote from the camera body to increase the angular inertia of the body about aline contained in or parallel to its focal plane the centers of gravity of said arms lying substantially in the local plane of the camera.

3. In combination, a hand camera comprising a body having a top, bottom and sides, and adapted to contain a illm at the focal plane of the camera, an arm rigidly secured to the camera body and lying substantially in the focal plane of the camera, said arm having its center of gravity remote from the camera body and a second arm associated with the camera disposed at substantially a right angle to said ilrst mentloned arm.

ROBERT F. Pitzin.. 

